Slice of Life: Volume 2
by Acidgreenflames
Summary: While the training mission continues, Prowl and Danny are stuck on the Arc.


This occurs between chapters three and four of Run of the Mill Mission, this piece didn't quite fit in with the whole story and keep the flow smooth, so I created it into a one shot as a bridge story.

And well honestly? It's pure fluff. A little break from the horror that is occurring on Nemesis.

Enjoy!

* * *

Danny paused biting into her sandwich, off white teeth brushing at the soft bread and she cocked her head to the side. She lowered her sandwich back to the plate as Cliffjumper walked by with Brawn, the two minibots complaining just loud enough to be heard.

"He's a cold sparked fragger!" Cliffjumper spat bitterly, dark blue optics narrowed into slits. "He doesn't give a slag about us! Think's we're cannon fodder!"

Confusion coursed through Danny, and she frowned at his angry words. Normally it was Sunstreaker or the Seekers that drew Cliffjumper's ire, or Danny herself. Yet Sunstreaker and the Seekers were out on a training mission and the minibot didn't even notice her at her group of friend's usual table.

Frowning, Danny dropped her lunch back onto its plate and twisted around to see who had irritated Cliffjumper, if anything to congratulate them.

There weren't many Autobot's back on base, most were on the training mission with their N.E.S.T teams, and Danny doubted it was Bumblebee or Perceptor that would attracted Cliffjumper's irritation.

Brawn's voice was bitter as usual. "I mean, I get the twins being sent out." He trailed off with a shrug, optics looking down a shrug.

"Crazy Fraggers anyways." Cliffjumper added in as he and Brawn took their usual table. "They thrive on the battle field, so it's not a surprise." He frowned into his cube of energon. "They should be locked away when they're not needed. Like a weapon."

Brawn shifted, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "I don't know…I wouldn't say that. The twins are all right, I don't think they need to be locked up."

Cliffjumper huffed. "Trust me. Those freaks are no better then _him_. They're like his attack mutts."

 _Prowl._ Danny thought to herself suddenly. They were talking about Prowl. That was the sparkless fragger who would use the twin like weapons.

Black rage filled her. It was sticky like tar that clung to her chest and throbbed with anger.

Prowl, who worked so hard to keep them alive and safe should not have others speak about him in such a manner. Prowl, who worked himself into exhaustion should be _respected_.

"Don't get why Jazz bonded with him." Brawn asked, face pointed down into this energon. "He's such a stick in the mud."

Cliffjumper sneered, his voice bitter. "Must be what Prowl's got under the hood."

Brawn snorted, abet awkwardly at the red minibots words.

Danny shot up, her chair knocked back and her brown eyes narrowed in irritation. Sure, she didn't always get along with everyone on base and sometimes even her beloved sisters grated her nerves. Yet, even as someone as crude as Danny herself could be, she would not disrespect Prowl like that.

She had _seen_ what Prowl did for the mech's here on the base. How late he stayed up to do _nothing_ but work. Danny, after being given the job of taking care of Prowl in Jazz and the twins absences, had seen firsthand just how hard Prowl worked for the mech's in his base. How hard he tried to ensure that they didn't _die_.

Darkness clouded Danny's face, her hands balled into fists and she had forgotten that Cliffjumper could end her life at the drop of the hat. She was going to give that bastard a piece of her mind.

She was marching across the table, brown eyes narrowed in her own building rage, fists balled by her sides and they swung with her steps; she felt the pinch of large fingers on the back of her shirt and suddenly Danny's feet left the solid metal table.

A chocked off cry fought its way from her throat, and her legs kicked out helplessly as she was lifted up. The sickening sense of weightlessness filled her and churned her stomach as she was brought up to icy blue optics.

Prowl sighed softly and shook his head at Danny as she crossed her arms to pout at the Praxian. She swallowed hard to push the feeling of being sick back down and tried to ignore how much this felt like falling.

"And just what am I going to do with you?"

Danny continued to pout. "Could let me give him a piece of my mind." She told him bitterly, chin jutting forward in defiance.

Prowl sighed again, wings twitching upward. "No." he said simply. "That will only cause more strife in the long run."

Prowl's other hand came up from under Danny to drop her lightly into his palm. He picked up her lunch with precision Danny didn't think was possible from such a large mech, to hand to her.

Turning away from the minibots, blocking them from her view Prowl shook his helm at her.

"Danny," he stared softly. "I have been at this a very long time."

"I know." Danny muttered, avoiding eye contact, poking at her lunch a little.

"And I know what others think of me."

"But they're wrong!" Danny burst out suddenly, head snapping up so hard that Prowl feared that she would break her own neck.

"And I know what others say about me when they think I cannot hear them." Prowl continued calmly, an endless pool of composure and steady calm.

"All the more reason you should let me remind Cliffjumper what a _jerk_ he is!"

"But I do not care what they think." He informed her calmly as they came to his office. "I have what I need and I know what I must do. I have Jazz and the twins for emotional support and that allows me to do what I must to keep us afloat."

Danny frowned up at Prowl. "But they…Cliffjumper shouldn't be saying things like that."

"But Danny, it doesn't matter."

"But you work so hard to…to keep us alive! Prowl, for real, I would probably be _dead_ without you. Callie would be for sure. I can't believe that they're spouting that shit! It's like…it's like it's never good enough." Danny spat, cheeks going a little red.

Prowl offered her a small smile. "To them it's not. It never is. I can't please everyone and I never will. And honestly, I have accepted that. What I can do it keep my people alive, people and mechs who depend on me to do what is necessary to keep them alive. Their words do not bother me."

"Well…it bugs me." Danny pouted.

"I know it does." He shook his head at her a little. "Just don't allow it to. Now, finish your lunch. I need you to write some reports for me after lunch."

Danny nodded and huffed. She looked around the office and noticed how empty the office was. She took a bite of her lunch and pondered that.

If the crew left here on the _Ark_ couldn't be bothered to be kind to Prowl, then maybe Danny could find a way to be kind until his family returned.

* * *

Danny had Liz's laptop on her lap, frowning at the plants on the screen.

"What do you… what do you think Hound? Which one would you think would work better?" Danny asked as Liz looked over her shoulder.

Liz pointed at the screen, small head tilting. "I like that one. It's taller then the cactus."

"Yeah, but I think the cactus flowers are nicer." Danny said squinting at the screen.

Hound hummed above them, blue optics narrowed in concentration. "But the flowers would be messy, and Prowl hates mess. We don't want him to dislike this since it's a gift."

"Sooooo maybe the palm tree would be the better choice then?" Danny asked with a hum.

"What are ya three up ta?" Ironhide's deep voice asked, Hound and Liz half turning to smile at the older Autobot.

"We want to do something nice for Prowl, so we're getting him a plant for his office!" Hound chirped, optics bright.

Ironhide managed to bite back his smile. "Well shoot! Isn't that ta nicest thing. Here let me see what ya choices are."

Danny visibly brightened. "We were thinking this one." The image of a cactus with bright flowers popped up on the screen. "Or this one." The cactus disappeared and a palm tree replaced it.

Hopeful optics and eyes turned up to Ironhide, and he hummed simply for dramatic effect. "Say, where ya getting the cash for this little project of yers?"

Danny shrugged. "Do you really want to know?"

Ironhide thought about that for a moment, then shook his helm. "Nah, not really. Here, this is the plant ya should get for Prowl's office."

Pulling a data pad from his subspace, Ironhide typed something into a search engine before flipping the data pad to show his new cohorts.

Liz frowned. "But it's boring."

"And won't it make a mess?" Danny added.

"And…maybe Prowl would enjoy a little bit of colour." Hound added.

Ironhide smirked. Silly younglings. "Nah, it ain't boring. It's classic and clean." He looked to Danny. "An' let's be honest, Prowl needs a little bit o' mess in his life. It'll be good for him."

Ironhide then gave Hound a very pointed look. "An' Hound, green _is_ ah colour. Prowl's life is all numbers that are black an' white. We can't shock him too much at once wit' something too bright. Start small. Trust me kids, this is ta one."

All three stared at him with wide eyes and optics before nodding in sync.

"Ironhide does have a point." Liz said slowly, glancing to her sister.

"'Course ah do." He added smugly, tucking the data pad under his arm.

Danny took a moment to consider before she smirked. "Alright, 'Hide's choice is it!"

Ironhide shook his helm at the two humans and Hound. "Should'da asked meh in th' first place. Would'da saved ya ah whole heap of trouble."

Ironhide shook his helm at the chorus of _Thanks 'Hide_!

With a small chuckle and a smile, Ironhide continued to fetch his energon. He felt lighter than he had before. Like he had aided in some cosmic event that seemed to be hell bent on giving them a moment of peace.

Ironhide wasn't going to question it, and just went along for the ride.

* * *

Prowl was not so much surprised by the sudden appearance of a maple tree, with its thick trunk and bright green leaves in his office as he was by the fact that they had gotten it into his office without his knowledge. Had the twins still been on base, it would have been a no brainer as to who had helped most likely Danny get the plant into his office. However, with them still off base Danny's options were limited.

With a smile, Prowl sat down to examine the new addition to his office. There was a large blue watering container that had been painted with suns and sun flowers and a data pad that was carefully labeled 'Instructions.'

Feeling something shift in his chest, Prowl settled down to read the instructions on how to keep his new plant alive and felt a twinge of excitement to show Jazz when he returned home.

Jazz would no doubt love the new addition and would illogically name the bright green tree upon his return.

Icy blue optics glanced to the maple tree, and Prowl felt his lips pull in a smirk. The tree had been a gift to him, so he should be the one to name it, no matter how silly or illogical that may be.

Besides, Prowl thought to himself as he began to read the data pad of instructions, Jazz would laugh when he saw the name plate Prowl would have made for his new tree.

 _Executive Assistant Syrup_ would become a permanent fixture in Prowl's office for years to come.


End file.
